Caged Little Raven
by FieryPhoenixGirl119
Summary: First it began with pets, then humans disappeared without a trace in Kohona. Between dealing with his Otouto's self destructive behavior and the pressure to solve the kidnappings during the Chuunin Exams, What's a Nii-sama to do?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello everyone and welcome to the first installment of 'Caged Little Raven,' I do hope that it rises to the same prestige as my last several Sasuke/Itachi stories have and welcome all encouraging reviews but do not react well with flames. I'm hoping that this story, though not young Sasuke/Itachi will still be a hit even though I'm sort of walking into new territory. I'm also using a new version of Microsoft Word which I am not yet 'grandfathered' into like I was with the old one so please forgive any mistakes I make. Also, this story is subject to slow updates though it is unlikely, I have until January the 11th until I begin college courses again and should have pretty much all the time in the world [that I'm not spending job hunting or placing myself into a comatose state during endless hours on World of Warcraft] to work on this until then. Please do enjoy and remember my rule: The more reviews I receive, the more likely I am to update soon.

Dawn broke over the sleepy village of Kohona. It was the quiet part of the day, before the children awoke and after the beasts of the night returned to their dens and nests. Mae Uchiha stepped out of her home onto the wooden encircling porch. Barefoot and tying the strings of her stained, off-white apron behind her back, she walked to her left, where her beloved pet Songbird Joy was kept. She adored his voice, his beautiful songs that he gave to her and the world every day. Nothing made her happier than to hear his music whilst she worked in the family bakery, kneading dough and keeping the stoves hot. When she did allow herself to go on break she would throw bread crumbs out to the less spectacular, female birds that came around to try and see who was making such a wonderful call to them to come and mate. Of course she had never allowed him to be with another bird, for that would make him be quieter, and she would get no music from him. But today was different. Birdseed fell from her hand as her eyes began to water. In front of her sat Joy's cage, still hanging from the ceiling, but the door was wide open, and her little singer was gone.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Itachi Uchiha sipped his cup of steaming hot tea as his fellow clan member Mae was in hysterics. She could hardly make clear words between her sobbing and wailing. Something about her joy missing? Oh…a bird….this was seriously not supposed to be his problem. As captain of an Elite ANBU squad, it was his job to kill enemies of the village, protect the general population from threats, and to keep peace and order, not find missing winged pests. But of course, just because he held the position as a law enforcement officer, and she was their neighbor and somewhat close relative, he had to stand there in the casual sleeping kimono he had gone to bed in only a few hours before. His hair was somewhat messy and the bags under his eyes were obvious, but whatever, not like anyone cared really how he was doing physically, they just wanted their problems solved and to have it done quickly.

"Alright Auntie Mae, I'll be sure and file a report for you that someone freed your pet. Are you sure that you did not just leave the door open last night and he got out?"

"Of course not!" She looked almost angered and offended. At least it made the tears stop. "I never open his cage door! It was tied shut with wire, no, someone had to unwrap it! And that someone must pay! My Joy is gone!" There went the tears again….if this is what the female gender was like, he was happy to have not found one to call his own quite yet.

"Okay Auntie, I believe you, go back to the bakery and make breakfast for Tun-san, I'll get back to you with any information I find out about your……bird…thief." Actually, the story was quite similar to others he had heard over the past year or so. Pets going missing, to think, when it started was when butcher shops in Kohona's bustling trade district reported that someone was stealing the chickens that were to be beheaded and plucked to sell. At first the authorities rolled their eyes and dismissed the claims, calling them petty and a waste of time. But after a dozen or so hens disappeared, they began to at least make files of the claims.

After that it was other small things, a lost dog here, and a missing cat there. One of the Hyuuga clan claimed that an intruder broke links of a dog's chain while it was raining outside and no one was out to catch him in the act. Another couple claimed that their pet feline, who they had never even let out of the house in fear that she might get lost, say that something or someone came and released her while they were not home. No one sees who does it, and there are never any footprints or telltale signs. Letting out a sigh Itachi turned around and walked back indoors, where it was comfortably warm as his mother was cooking breakfast, her hands carefully packing rice into balls as a special treat for her sons.

"What was that all about, dear?" She asked in her quiet voice. Itachi never once remembered hearing his mother raise her voice. Perhaps it was because of her gentle and caring nature, either that or she just did not have it in her to yell. "It was nothing mother, Auntie Mae's pet bird was let out of its cage, probably some kids pulling a stupid prank." He refilled his cup, he wanted to sleep but he knew that his day was only beginning. "Well that is just cruel…..I hope that whoever is doing such mean things is caught…who would do something like that? Stealing loved members of the family from sweet elderly people like Auntie Mae…" She set a perfect rice ball down and began on another, her eyes never leaving her work. "I do not know, but they will be found out sooner or later, if I know anything about kids it is that they brag about the terrible illegal things they do and there is always a do-gooder tattler in their ring of friends. But do tell your friends to keep an eye on their animals; we do not want this happening any more than it already is."

That is when heavier footsteps entered the room. Sasuke Uchiha. His eyes were dark, the boy suffered from sleep apnea. They had tried taking him to doctors but nothing ever worked. Itachi knew his brother was 'different,' not in the bad way that would make him out to be a freak but in a special way, and perhaps his inability to get rest was but a side effect. The boy had been to every source of help imaginable. From sorcerers of the dark to priests of the light, it seemed no one could aid his ailing otouto. It seemed as if the only relief his little brother got was through extensive physical activity. Knowing this, Sasuke would push himself every day in training until he had broken nearly every bone and torn many of the muscles in his body over the years. Even now he had a disfigured finger from an accident when he was younger. Nowadays he would begin before sunrise and work himself until he passed out and either woke up not remembering where he was and how he had gotten there or if a family friend had brought him home, his tired, dirty body unconscious and covered in blood and bruises……

Sasuke had other few sources of relief, one was discovered when he went missing and was found overnight by a priest in the village temple, sleeping soundly on the floor in a corner….another time was when he had went into his room without permission to search for a missing weapon cloth that he had lent to his sibling and found rather disturbing materials…

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

[A year or so before]

"Sasuke? Are you awake?" Itachi stood outside the door of his brother's room. He had lent that polishing cloth to Sasuke a week ago and had not seen it since. When he got no response he slid the door open and looked inside, no one was there. Maybe his brother was out training yet again. He needed the cloth back now before he left for his next mission, Sasuke would just have to forgive him for the invasion of privacy.

Stepping inside the smell of dried blood, old sweat, and a sweet, exotic aroma was in the air. Paying no mind to it, he began to search the dresser and the personal items of his to find what rightfully belonged to him. That is when he found what could only be described as a secret stash in the bottom of the trunk of old trinkets and small weapons. There was a half-empty bottle of hard liquor, several pieces of erotic adult literature, and a small bag of what looked to be cooking herbs, but he recognized it right off as being a plant used for a powder. The mixture was used my ninja's to disable their victim, it depressed the blood flow until the target either passed out or worse, died. The line between life and death when using that deadly plant was as thin as a hair. One gram off and whoever consumed it would never awake again.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

He had not told his parent about what Sasuke was doing to 'self-medicate.' But he had taken his stash of the drug, even though they never spoke a word about it there was a silent understanding between them that Itachi would not by any means tolerate it.

Sasuke slumped down at the table, taking only nibbles of the rice ball his mother cheerfully set before him. The dark bags under his eyes were a telltale sign of his sleep deprivation. But he had no time for that now, he had to get into uniform and report for duty at headquarters, before another precious pet was stolen. Oh wouldn't that be a tragedy.

Handing the used cup to his mother, he left the room, mussing up his brother's hair as he walked through. Maybe today his otouto would find peace and be able to rest, but even he knew that it was highly unlikely. Itachi Uchiha had won many battles, fought many foes, and overcome countless obstacles in his life, but nothing was harder that having to sit back and watch his favorite relative slowly be destroyed from the inside out in such an agonizing manner….nothing……


	2. Chapter 2

[So sorry about the delay to update, in my second year of college and am on a full time schedule, plus I'm lazy. Well today is my 19th birthday and I felt like updating so please be nice and make it a happy bday and review please!!! No Flames….]

A light breeze rustled the leaves in the forest of Kohona. Leaves and dust shifted as the wind disturbed them. Joining them was a few strands of pitch black silky hair. Sasuke Uchiha stood on one leg, his other leg bent, foot pressing against his supporting leg. His hands were in a jutsu formation, his eyes closed, the only signs of him being alive was the breath leaving and entering his nostrils. He was focusing his attention, his energy, his concentration, and his chakra. His hair was shifted again by the wind, beads of sweat traveling down the thin hairs, reaching their ends and falling to the ground. The sun was a merciless caretaker of the world, thankfully the young Uchiha was able to stand the rays due to his excessive clothing, though it was causing his body heat fatigue.

He stayed statue still for so long that tiny birds landed near him, pecking at the ground to gather food to last them their short lives. Nearby two squirrels chased around a tree, thinking the stone-like figure nearby was no more than just that. Finally, Sharinghan-blessed onyx eyes flashed open, between the fingers forming the hand-sign a small flicker of light shone, growling rapidly by the millisecond. To the naked eye it was a quick, messy beam of fire, but to those who watched carefully and slowly, one would see the image of a fiery bird forming as it was shot out of his hands. The fireball left a trail of blackened dirt, the stench of burning chemicals left in its wake. A loud hissing noise could be heard as it traveled down the clearing, he watched with his gifted eyes as the attack traveled a long distance, a very long distance. The fire screamed as it flew at incredible speeds, finally hitting its target of a rock wall. All that was left was a large crater in the mountainside. Though the only important thing to Sasuke was that he had hit the target he had set, a scarecrow made of discarded straw and hay, sitting more than five miles from where he stood.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, walking away with his head down, as if he had not just performed the great feat for a student of his age. He was by the greatest student in the school. But neither his peers or his professors new of his talent. As far as they were concerned he was a letdown, for Sasuke hid his abilities, not wanting the same fate that had come upon his brother's shoulders. Making his way back to the more populated part of the village, he set out to go to a herbalists' shop, he needed to restock on his special mix of herbs that he used to sedate himself. As long as he told the shopkeeper that he was running errands for his parents for religious ceremonies he could get away with it. This was partly true but he secretly kept a few ounces for himself. If he was halfway out of it, his abilities could not possibly be found out and he could live his life without being tugged around like a ragdoll as his brother was. Not only that but he would be expected to become Itachi's little clone. A virtual copy of his elder brother, expected to be perfect and without flaw. But he himself knew the truth, and that was that he could never live up to that expectation, he did not even want to try, for most of all he feared the rejection and the anguish that would accompany failure.

Passing by rice farmers with their straw hats that covered their eyes, wearing their flimsy clothing and sandals, their oxen or mules pulling their wooden wagons full of baskets packed with the staple food of the region; The Uchiha met their eyes. They either looked at him with disgust or turned away. They judged him before they even knew him. This was the life he lived, he could never escape it, not until there was no longer blood in his veins or breath in his chest.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

"Mother, I brought you more incense." The young man walked in, his footfalls heavy on the wooden floors. He removed his footwear before walking in onto the well kept flooring of his lifetime home. He set the package on the counter, slipping a few sticks out, pushing them against the bottom of his arm as he walked cooly out of the kitchen towards his bedroom. He was becoming too awake, too aware of his surroundings…he needed the sedation…the depressor of his powers. He could live with being a letdown or a disappointment, but never as a failure. He still passed his tests, even when trying to hide his incredible intellect he still made the top five percent of his class. He would have to try harder to stay under the radar. Lighting a fire between his forefinger and his thumb he lit the small pile of herbs in his hand, only making them hot enough to produce an aromatic, sweet smelling smoke. Bringing it up to his nostrils he took a deep breath in until all the smoke had been inhaled into his sinuses.

Within moments he could have been prodded with a red-hot poker and not have felt much more than a bee sting. Stepping outside onto the wrap-around porch, he stepped next to the edge overlooking the decorative pond and held his hands out, rubbing them together as the bits of smoldering herbs escaped into the evening wind. He watched the small specks fly away, some making only as far away as the water to be picked at by the brightly colored koi fish, others making it higher off the ground, flying away to never been seen again. Behind him he could hear his mothers voice, calling him to come to dinner. He heard his fathers' deep, gruff voice giving his mothers orders as he had always done. He watched his uniformed brother walking through the Uchiha district towards their home, a smile on his features as he greeted the other clan members. Whether the smile was real or just for show was a mystery to Sasuke, but at that moment he could spend the night laying in his bed just thinking about that but never come up with a real answer or solution. Turning around he lethargically walked around the edge of the house, meeting his brother in time for them both to enter the dining room where a thick vegetable soup with a base of rice was being served, the scalding steam rising from their already filled bowls.

Ripping apart a roll on the side of his bowl, Sasuke dipped it into the soup. The conversation taking place between his brother and his parents was no more than a dull noise to his ears. Colors blurred if they were too far from his eyes. No one seemed to notice. He easily answered any questions directed towards him with grunts or nods. To his parents he was just an exhausted, sleep-deprived teenager. Only Itachi had a slight idea of what he had really been doing.

This might have seemed like a miserable, isolated existence, and it was not that Sasuke did not wish to be normal, to be active within his family gatherings. But the voices inside his head would not leave him alone unless he was drugged. With the blessing of his abilities came the curse of those demons inside of him that would drive him to insanity. He sacrificed having a family, having friends, and feeling loved and cared for, in return for some peace inside of his head.


	3. Chapter 3

[Sorry about the delay once more, between school and boyfriend drama, I have not had the time to sit and think of an update for quite awhile. Thanks for being loyal readers and not giving up on me. No Flames and suggestions for the plot will be appreciated, of course I have a rough idea in my mind of what should happen but it is always nice to have other people's ideas]

Sasuke sat on his bed; before him sat a metal dish, beneath it was a small flame, in the bowl sat herbs whose smoke rose into the air. He hung his head over the hot stand and breathed in the essence through his nostrils….it left him relaxed, the clawing pain in his skull was no more than a tickle. Taking another large whiff he blew the flame out, letting it cool off before hiding it in the cupboard. He could not risk the possibility of someone finding out that the almighty leader of the Uchiha clan's son was doing such things. It was looked down upon by many, he would have few sympathizers among his village family. The only downside was that he could not sleep, not yet. Rising to his feet he went out into the darkness of the night, the cold hitting his skin. The young raven haired teen boy walked throughout the village, looking for anything to catch his interest. The herbs were wearing off, he could feel the pain…hear the whisper of the voices beginning to call his name and tell him lies….

They were trapped in his head. They screamed at him to let them out. What was wrong with him…where did these voices come from? They started when he was a small child, he made the mistake of believing that these could possibly be friends….no they were no more than leeches, leeches that were sucking the life and sanity out of him. The whispering got louder, the pain in his head grew enormously. He held his hands over his ears at how loud the noises and voices had become. Eventually they would reach a point where they could not become any louder….but until then he had to feel his ears bleeding and ringing…there was no escape for him. As he stumbled through the streets, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A pet dog tied up to a pillar of a house porch. He was cold, dirty, and probably hungry. Only Sasuke could see the justice in what he decided to do. If he could not be free of his tormentors, then why should not this defenseless animal who had no choice in the matter either? Using his skills to make himself unheard as he trespassed into the yard, he untied the best and took him by the lead. Picking it up the animal was silent, grateful for the boys kind gesture. They disappeared over the rooftops of Kohona, heading towards the large forest where the chances of the canine being found were slim. It was a naturally wild beast, it could survive on its own, hunt for itself.

Reaching a point deep inside of the forest, where the light of the moon was the only source of sight possible, Sasuke set the hairy mongrel down and untied its collar, watching it run off into the night, probably at the happiest it had ever been in its life. Dropping the leash to the ground, he shoved his hands into his pockets and walked away back towards the edges of the city. The pain in his head had reached its maximum level, he needed to escape from this torment. The herbs were working less and less as his body built up a tolerance to its depressive effects. Anymore he would rely on either illegal products or on the prostitutes and whores of the village to take away his misery for just a little while. Now because of his brother, only one was available to him.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Itachi along with the rest of his unit stood in full dress, masks and all, standing guard as the first of the royal guests arrived. The chuunin exams were upon the village and many important people across the land would travel long distances to get here. There was always the threat of an attempted assassination or blackmail, so it was their duty to protect all of their guests. Needless to say, the small number of ANBU members were stretched thin. The last thing Itachi needed was someone else coming to him, crying about a stolen or lost pet. It was complaints like that that made him wish that he could abandon his post as the head of the Kohona Police Force and leave it in the capable hands of his outranked father like it had been before. His hectic schedule was catching up to him. He had not even slept the night before. On top of that, Sasuke had not gotten home until just after sunrise, only to pretend to of had slept and lazily make his way to the academy. He could not be bothered by this right now, he had the Hokage of the Mist Village to escort to the luxurious living quarters assigned to him, with any luck he would get away with assigning someone else to guard the room and he could go about his daily duties. Once the man was in his room and all of his luggage in there with him, Itachi was quick to drop the duties off on two other exhausted people and left the hotel at a quick speed. Now he had to switch out his uniform and go on crowd control patrol for the afternoon.

The number of people who thought that a enormous festival coming to the village was an excuse to rip off tourists, over price their goods, and to outright disobey laws with a defense of ignorance on their part was astounding. The increased availability of liquor did not help either. There was also the growing problem of prostitution in the alleys and streets of Kohona. Being a trained police officer, he could usually spot a whore when he saw one. Sometimes these were no more than young girls, being forced to sell their bodies by some cruel person who was in it for profit. Other times the girls were just whores out to make easy money. He noticed one girl standing on the porch of a bar, being a little too friendly with one of the male costumers….he caught her eye and was sure to give her a stern look. That flirty smile on her lips faded and she suddenly had better things to do inside of the establishment, her male suitor following behind her.

Itachi sighed. He could not be in twenty different places at once! Why did people have to all act up at once….where was this world coming to? Then again, who was he kidding. This foolishness had always been around, it had just gotten braver in the last few years. He caught sight of his otouto heading home, alone of course, as he had never been able to make or keep friends. Part of Itachi pitied the teen, knowing how it felt to have so much pressure and so few people who understood you. Another part was almost grateful that Sasuke was not fraternizing with the foolish and ignorant teenagers of the village, who knows what kind of trouble they would get him into. As selfish as it was, a small part of Itachi could not wait for Sasuke to become either a police officer like his father or an ANBU like himself. Either way it would slightly help the load on his shoulders.


	4. Chapter 4

[A/N : Thank you all for being so patient! As most of you probably know, Spring Break is upon us and because I don't have a life, there will probably be plenty of updates IF a lot of you leave reviews! Now I recently discovered the wonders of Google translator and am using it to sprinkle some flavor into my chapters, so If you see a word you done recognize, it is probably simple to figure out what it means and if you believe that it is the wrong word then please, blame the translator, not me, thanks. NO FLAMES. ]

Sasuke woke up the next morning collapsed on his bed with a splitting headache. What happened? All he could remember from the night before were those torturous voices and the pain. Looking around himself his fingers flexed in the dark colored blanket as he laid on top it. He was disheveled, his personal items were scattered around his room, and his 'stash' was smeared across his fingers and beneath his nose from his messy and desperate application of it early that morning. Pushing himself up in to a sitting position on his floor-bound bed, he ran his fingers through his sweat-matted hair, little specks of green, moist herbs getting caught in his raven strands. Wiping his nose off on his sleeve, he rested his head on the peak of his bent knees and closed his eyes. Believe it or not, this was not new to him. Now he had to wash up, clean his room, and destroy all evidence of what he had done; but the worst part was the fact that now he would have to find some way to get more of those herbs. This would have to be done soon, he could hear the whispering coming back to him…..it felt like fingertips caressing the inside of his skull…that was how it always started….but he knew all too well that all that would result was the impending torture that would ensue when the whispering turned into talking…talking turned into ranting, ranting then became screaming. He remembered times when he tried to get off of the herbs and his alternative forms of 'treatment,' he was rewarded with a bleeding nose and ringing ears. Something here was not normal, but he could not and would not seek help for it. He was Uchiha, he must defend that honor. With a chuckle Sasuke's tired eyes looked from one side of the room and swept to the others. The things he had done behind closed doors were not honorable either.

Making himself get up on his feet he used the wall as a brace to leave his room, vigorously rubbing his nose against his arm and sleeve to prevent anyone from noticing it. If he could get to the community bathing house, he could get a private tub and perhaps use the warmth of the water and the smell of the many strong perfumes to ease his headache. His step almost got a giddy boost when he thought of how that would feel, to have a nice long soak to clear his head. But that was stopped when he saw someone turn a corner. Itachi and father were there. A cup of hot green tea in his hand, the long-haired young man sipped it at the edge of his lips, his tired-looking gaze was coupled with the dark rings under his eyes from lack of proper rest. Father stood there with his usual scowl, it did not signal that he was unhappy at all, it was just how his face chose to rest. Apparently they were just walking around the house to the gardens in the back, probably speaking of village business. With a slight bow of his head, Sasuke approached them to avoid making it obvious that he was hiding something.

"Good Morning Chichi-san, Ani-san." He greeted his father and brother with a half-bow. Just because he was being tortured in his head did not mean he was disoriented – for the most part anyway.

"Morning ototo, are you off to train? I was just telling father how eager I am for you to graduate from the academy, we need a good mind on the ANBU team or in the Police Station…" Itachi was so exhausted from his overload of work that he was not beyond tastelessly obligating his younger brother into service. He would only feel shame and regret if anything were to happen to Sasuke on duty; but until that happened, he would take whatever qualified help he could find.

"I will spend the day training brother, I promise. But for now I am going to the bathing house, excuse me." He bowed again and walked past them, eager to get the stench of whatever he had done the night before off of his body. He could only hope that they had not noticed, but he doubted it. One was an overworked young man desperate to find a break; the other was an old man trying to tell himself that he was still young every time he caught a purse snatcher or some other petty thief that was left for him to deal with. Feeling awake enough to secure his sense of balance, the young Uchiha took off running into the district's brick-protected streets. The bathing houses were in a quieter area, away from the hustle and bustle of the village of Kohona. Able to see the tops of the cherry trees and evil-warding shrines that were strewn around the utilized hot springs, he quickened his pace, trying to be sure that he did not run into any of his slower relatives on his way there.

"You think Sasuke would be ready for the ANBU? I agree that he is strong but I would like to see more order in his life. What do you think Itachi?" Fugaku stood on the wood of the porch as his eldest son stood in the family garden. The brightly colored koi fish were skimming the surface, hoping for a treat from the onyx-eyed young man. Taking another sip of his tea, Itachi licked a remaining drop off of his upper lip with the tip of his tongue and paused a moment before answering.

"You are correct in your criticism of his personal life. But maybe being placed in the ranks of his brethren will set him straight." He closed his eyes. He hoped that it would.

"To think, I will have not one but two sons serving our mighty village in the ANBU and the police force! The spirits smile on me." Itachi glanced back at his father. Though he still held a scowl, he knew that deep inside, the older man was smiling, his chest so swollen with pride it could implode. Not something that would be good for a man of his age. The ANBU officer's lips pulled up into a small smile at his own joke. He found that the longer he went without rest, the funnier foolish actions and thoughts were.

"And not a moment too soon father. I was called in last night for something important. A young woman was killed last night. A shopkeeper taking out his scraps to feed the wild birds found her corpse behind his store, right next to the village walls. It was a rape, then her throat was torn out. All we could find was that she was a local girl, but not well known. Her family lives in the ….poorer district of town." His eyes remained closed as he recalled the sight. Blood everywhere, no tracks leading in or leaving, and signs of a struggle were nearly non existent.

"You know what kind of reputation girls from that area have, Itachi…..perhaps it is time you chose your battles and let this one go. The 'rape' and murder of a prostitute does not take priority over our elite guests and tourists." His father's words were harsh, but true.

"I know father. But like you said, she was murdered. Whether or not she was selling her body or sleeping around, she still deserves justice, no?" All he received in return was silence. It was a hard decision, but he would continue with this investigation. But considering no one saw or heard anything over the sounds of the celebrations the night before, chances of the criminal being brought in to pay for his misdeeds was highly unlikely. After several decades in the police force, his father had learned a long time ago that not everyone can be helped. Maybe it was time for himself to learn that lesson.

The girl's, Arisu's, mother had identified the corpse, as mangled as it was. Her look of pain and horror would be seared into Itachi's mind forever. The mother said that her little Arisu had been working in the local river washing laundry for her few clients that would usually skip out on paying her. She had come home tired yet so excited by the lights and noises of the festival that she begged her to be able to go. Now regretting her decision, she had told her yes. Itachi did not know if the young girl was a prostitute or not, but how devastated her mother was…..that would haunt him for many years to come. Reaching into a fold of his uniform, the young man pulled out a roll his mother had made him as a part of a grand breakfast that he had been saving as an energy-boosting snack later. Pulling it apart into small pieces he dropped the crumbs into the water, rewarding the koi fish for their beauty and patience. The memory of the night before had ensured him that he would not be able to stomach food for the day. A black flash appeared atop the Uchiha-district wall that locked all others out of their sacred home. A woman in a white and red fox mask wearing the standard ANBU uniform sat crouched over as she spotted her commanding officer.

"Itachi, your presence is requested by the Hokage. He is not pleased with us, I beg you to hurry." She gave her message before disappearing in another flash. With a tired grunt, he handed his white tea mug with green letters engraved into its sides to his father before taking off after his ANBU partner.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Sasuke stretched his arms on the rim of the bathing area. The heat and steam was doing nothing for his pain, but it did feel nice to the rest of his body. Closing his eyes, he grabbed and held a breath before sinking beneath the surface, holding himself down there to allow the waters to encase him fully for a few moments. Nothing feels better to a dirty, sore body than nearly-scalding hot water. Coming back to the surface, he reached for a rough scrubbing cloth and a chunk of off-white light green soap and lathered the suds into his cloth before beginning to scrub his skin hard enough to take off the first layer of skin. He wanted his skin good and glowing red from being cleaned so hard. He would never stop feeling dirty. Every time he had to use the herbs, it felt like another layer of grunge and bilge was added to his soul. The bathing houses had white robes for their member to wear after the bath to go and enjoy some peace and serenity in the mediation gardens. Sasuke would probably never believe in any higher being or any type of 'religion,' but the concept sounded nice. Perhaps if he had complete silence and some time to himself, he might figure out what the voices that clawed at his sanity wanted from him. If his future was only to hold more of their persecution, then falling on his own sword would be an easier way to go.

Climbing out of the nearly boiling waters, the young Uchiha took the soft robe and the pants that went with them. Sliding them on he dipped his fingertips into a bowl of perfumes and draped them across his pale white skin. Stepping out of the room and closing the paper-screen door, he made his way down the silent hallways. The wood barely creaked as he turned the corner past a bonsai tree that sat at the end of the hall. Outside was a small area full of green grass, rocks, colorful plants, cherry trees, and small ponds dotted all around. The noise from the village did not exist here. On the porch sat an older woman, playing a light tune on her kugo, her wrinkled fingers plucked the strings to create a soothing song. Stepping out onto the grass, Sasuke looked for a quiet, isolated place for him to relax.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

"Itachi, I understand that our enforcement is spread thin, and so are you. But in the decades we have held these celebrations of friendship and unity between our sister villages, someone is assaulted and killed. How could you let this happen? Do you realize how unsettled our guests have become knowing that these things happen under the watchful eye of our famous ANBU?" The village elder was obviously in a foul mood, it seemed that nothing was running smoothly at this celebration.

"I apologize sincerely Hokage, we are doing everything in our power to find the culprit so that our residents and guests can live in peace." The Uchiha bowed, resisting the urge to yawn.

"I am sure that you are all doing your best. I also know that asking you and your men to keep track of everything that happens within every inch of these walls is impossible. I am only asking that you and your force do more to keep the peace. This was a dreadful attack on an innocent life, these things do not happen here often Itachi. I would hate to know that one of our visiting guests was at fault, but I trust that you know what you are doing. Whatever you need to do, you have my support. Now go and do your job." He turned around, the light from the decorative spaces near the top of the wall shone against his red robe.

"Yes Hokage, I will." He bowed again and turned to leave in a respective manner.

"And Itachi. Don't work yourself to death, alright?" This made the officer stop for a moment before leaving. In bad spirits or not, the Hokage was still a father to all who lived in the village of Kohona.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Sasuke put his normal clothing back on. He would change into something fresh when he got home. Stepping out of the building his eyes scanned the excellent view of the village that this place on higher ground gave. The smell of the perfumes still filling his nose he made his way down the stone steps and walked past the similar lanterns. He left cleaner than he had come, but the time wasted in meditation had done nothing for the slowly growing pain in his head that now snaked down his neck to his shoulders. That was the worst part. It was spreading.


	5. Chapter 5

Itachi Uchiha sat on the roof of a popular vendor as he kept watch for trouble over the busiest part of town. He himself had not been able to go and enjoy the festivities, neither did his brethren in the ranks of the ANBU. A small gust of wind blew against his side, sending a few black hairs wildly astray. Beside him suddenly crouched the female member of his team, a small package in her hands.

"Come on Itachi-sempai, eat." She held the small bundle out to him.

"I know when that you've been much too absorbed in the investigation and security detail, now these meat pies are going fast and you know they only serve them this time of year so I nabbed you one." She continued to hold out the steaming-hot foil-wrapped parcel to him, knowing he was hesitant about indulging into such things.

"I am on duty." Was his only answer, he did not even bother to look at the gift.

"Well for the next ten minutes, I'm on duty for you, now eat before you pass out and I take your sword." She shoved the object into his hand and shoved him off of his perch and stood in his place. She was one of the only female ANBU, which only hardened her resolve to not let the boys give her orders. She knew Itachi too well and had seen him pass out from sheer exhaustion before, whether it be from lack of food, water, or sleep. The running joke had become her stealing either his mask or his sword while he was in such a state and forcing him to go without it until he either bribed her or humiliated himself for it. Needless to say that since that first time he had been very careful about avoiding the event.

Knowing that she held a valid point and that his tired eyes were no competition to her bright and alert ones, he leaned against the raised edge of the building and unwrapped the food, finding a wonderfully hot foreign dish that was his for the devouring.

"Any leads on that girl's rape and murder?" his fellow officer Aiko asked as her eyes scanned the populace, finding things peaceful and going according to plan.

"The investigation will probably be terminated. I don't think she was selling herself and things went badly but that's what the Hokage wants the people of Kohona to believe. It's probably better that way." He took a bite and let it slide down his throat, his last hot meal being too long ago.

"I can see his point. But I agree with you. Someone forced her then murdered her. The question is who, and if they'll strike again." Her back faced the Uchiha prodigy as she kept her vigil.

"If they do it will be our necks, reputation is everything during these festivals, too many murders and we'll be blacklisted. Gods forbid that a foreigner be the next one to die."

"Agreed." She muttered, her fingers drumming against the leather of her katana hilt.

"How is that brother of yours? Did he find his way back home last night? He seemed a little disoriented." She asked trying to make conversation, she craved action and the scene below was not giving her any.

"What? Sasuke was out last night?"

"Yeah I saw him walking through the streets, I guess he was enjoying the festivities and had wandered off, was probably something he ate but he did not look so good." She finally turned to face Itachi as he was nearly finished with the meal.

Standing to his feet he returned to his post, relieving her of his duty.

"I have barely seen him today, so I suppose he is alright. I'll have to check up on him later and see what that was about." With a nod the conversation was over and she disappeared with another gust of wind. His eyes rested and his stomach full, he began his watch once more. If the murderers, evil ninja, or exhaustion did cause the death of him, the sheer boredom would.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Sasuke sat in a tree as he watched the other teenagers practice their jutsu and weapon skills. Or lack thereof. They would spend their entire lives trying to match and overpower the natural talent that he was born with. The punchline was that he had not even expressed his full capabilities, for powerful jutsu require complete and utter focus and attention, neither of which he had when those voices began to scream in his head.

They whispered to him even now as he watched his peers practice. That kid with the dog….whatever his name was, Kira? Kita? No matter. The voices hissed in glee as they told him of how easily he could rip him in half, snap the dog's neck, make him suffer….

The onyx eyes left Kiba and Akamaru and went to another student, a mouthy blonde who stood no chance of passing exams. The voices laughed and jeered at the simplicity in throwing him off of a cliff or poisoning him, just to end his reign of annoyance and ignorance.

Then they fell upon a young girl. She was lucky to be in the academy as she possessed no bloodline, no gifts, no talent. She wanted to become a medic so that she could help people, as pathetic as that concept was. She had a full head of gray hair, probably some defect in either her genes or her diet, causing her to be an outcast amongst the Kohona Academy crew. The voices began to hiss as the spoke in a snakelike manner becoming louder, making Sasuke's ears ring as they told him of how he could overpower her, assault her and rip out her throat, and watch her die as no one would care that she was missing…..yes…..they were very right….

Sasuke shook his head, trying to knock all of the voices out of it. He was tired of the demons in his skull trying to encourage him to do things that would get him or others killed. They became worse and worse with the passing weeks, he only hoped he could keep control of himself and keep himself sedated or underpowered that he might not do something to another human being that he would regret.

Pulling himself to his feet he left his roost on the tree and made his way towards an untouched part of the Kohona forest where he could find some peace and quiet away from the laughter and squeals of the teenagers below.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Night descended upon Kohona, though the only people who noticed were those who desired to become drunken idiots at the festival. Which many did. The paper lanterns, the steaming hot food, the dancers and shows all came together as yet another night of celebration came upon them. The citizens of Kohona and her neighboring villages came out of their homes and inns and joined in another night of laughter and fun. The police force and the ANBU, however, did not know what it was like to enjoy the festivities like the commoners did, unfortunately.

Orders from the Hokage stated that they were to be in total force, no one received the night off as security was boosted. Tonight even Sasuke Uchiha decided to try and drowned out the oppressors of his mind by trying to enjoy and indulge in some pleasures here at the event. Though he had to admit that the only show that kept his attention were the dancing girls at the tent closest to the bars and liquor merchants. He was a teenager, who could blame him?

Carrying a rice ball that tasted even better than his mother's own he leaning against a wall and watched the people pass by, finally feeling some sense of peace about him. But that was ruined when a sudden pain went straight from the center of his head down to the soles of his feet. The snack fell from his hand and shattered on the ground as he held the sides of his head in torment, the people passing by oblivious to his suffering.

As soon as he was able to start being able to coordinate his movements he made a run for it, trying to find somewhere away from people that no one could see him and be concerned. He had to be alone when it got bad like this. Taking an alleyway he began to cough up blood as he made his way towards a secluded area closer to the walls.

Finally reaching his destination he pressed his palms against the stone wall and hung his head between his arms. The pain was bad enough, but the voices were screeching, he felt as if his eardrums might burst at any moment. But then he heard a voice, clear as a bell, he looked over and saw his gray-haired classmate.

"A-are you okay?" She asked as she stood in her simple outfit, holding a basket of fruit that she was taking to the festival to sell for her family.

"Get out of here!" He pleaded in a deep, ragged voice.

"W-why? What did I do? You don't look so good…" She was a bit offended by his demand for her to leave.

"JUST LEAVE! GO BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!" He already felt the animalistic urge to give in to the voices and defile her, his body shook as he resisted, sweat pouring from his forehead.

She took a step back, now frightened by his behavior. Seeing that there truly was something wrong with the Uchiha she dropped her basket and ran towards the festivities to try and get help. She saw a young man who sat at the edge of the crowd, watching people pass by as he leaned against the post of a storefront. Surely he would help her!

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

It was barely daybreak in Kohona as three police officers and two ANBU, including Itachi, stood around the body of a young girl with gray hair. She was found in the alleyway just a few steps from the celebration, the rapist was getting braver. Her throat was slit delicately and the tears from her eyes were still dried to her cheeks. The Hokage himself broke through their circle and stared down at the body as he had just received word of it.

"I don't care how you do it." He growled.

"Find whoever did this and kill them!" He turned around on his heels and stormed off, his day becoming that much more complicated.

The young Uchiha awoke in the grass near the waterfalls. He did not remember coming here but he could only assume that he stumbled out this way and passed out sometime during the night. His last memory was of that girl with the strange hair screaming as she ran towards the lights and noise of the crowd, everything went black after that. Sitting up Sasuke rest his hands on his knees and looked up at the blue sky with the clouds passing by.

Falling back to the ground he decided that a few more hours here where he could find some peace was not such a bad idea after all.


	6. Chapter 6

Sasuke Uchiha laid in the untamed grass near the waterfalls for hours until the sun was at its peak and the heat became unbearable. The peace he found from the voices in his head was a welcome relief to his raw nerves. He tried so desperately to remember what had happened the night before but it was like grasping fog, it only escaped him as soon as he thought he had it. Standing to his feet he made no rush to head back into the developed area of Kohona, finding that the police force were buzzing and people were whispering and gossiping. Another murder?

The raven-haired young man just shrugged it off, as of lately he had little compassion for human life. He walked away from the crowds and the people, finding himself in a quieter area of the Leaf Village. This was where the visitors from other nations and villages were staying. The livery was full of horses, mules, and other beasts of burden that had been brought for the festivities. What caught Sasuke's eye was a young black goat that held a crown of flowers and a wreath around its neck that covered the rope that held it in place. That was right, the festivities involved animal sacrifices to the gods to thank them for a good harvest and to plead for more plentiful years to come.

The kid yanked and brayed loudly as he tried to escape his impending doom, trying to escape from the rope tied tightly around its throat. Sasuke stopped and stared at the pitiful beast. He felt disgusted that the animal was chosen to die a bloody and slow death on a rock slab just because it was born with a spotless coat. Besides, what was it dying for? A carved lump of stone? The young Uchiha looked around to see who could be watching. No one was within earshot, probably all sleeping off the liquor from the night before. Walking up to the beast he untied the rope and picked it up in his arms securely before disappearing in a flash to take it to the nearby hills. Maybe it would die in the jaws of some wild beast but that was surely more just than a death in vain for man's sake.

Unknown to the young ninja, he was indeed being watched. The innkeeper across the street from the stables peered from behind a closed window curtain and witnessed the thief in action. Unfortunately, he knew exactly who Sasuke Uchiha was and had no hesitations about reporting him to the police, the Uchiha's father.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

"You cannot be correct Yamani! My son is an upright citizen of Kohona AND a Uchiha youth! He is not guilty of these accusations!" Fugaku could not help but raise his voice, offended by the innkeepers claims.

"Fugaku, old friend, what reason could I possibly have for lying to you? What would I gain? I'm telling you that I saw your boy steal away with one of my patron's sacrificial offerings. Now not only is my costumer deeply offended by the intrusion but imagine how I must feel knowing that it was caused by the son of the Chief of Police?" the leader's peer stood undaunted by his old classmate's raised voice and anger. He and Fugaku had been childhood friends and teenage buddies until life took them their separate ways.

"Maybe you're just out for some sick form of blackmail, or trying to draw attention to your business! I refuse to believe your lies!"

"Enough Fugaku. I know that it must burn your ears and pain your old heart to think that your own flesh and blood could be responsible for such a crime, but what I tell you is true. Don't kill the messenger." With that he turned around and left the office and returned back to his inn to try and soothe his angered guest, leaving the leader of the Uchiha Clan to bury his face in his hands and wonder what else his son has been guilty of lately…..

Sasuke sat in the shade as the little goat chewed on the nearby shrubbery, probably its first natural meal. He wanted to make sure that it was calm in its new environment before he left it alone. Yes, it probably would not survive the night, but the young Uchiha would be able to sleep easy knowing that he had done nothing to save it from a death by fire. Now if only his own soul could be spared the same fate.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Itachi sat on the highest point in the village as he kept a look out for his brother. His father had told him of the accusations against his otouto and he wished to confront him about them before his father got a hold of him. Sensing his little brother's chakra signature he darted down the wall and dashed out towards the market square. Sasuke was walking with his hands in his pockets and his head down as he made his way through the crowded space. The voices had begun to strum against his tired and aching nerves once more, playing a tune on his sanity.

A taller figure materialized before him and a gust of wind gently ruffled his hair as the ANBU captain landed only two feet in front of him, stopping him in his slow and labored tracks.

"Sasuke, I must speak with you privately. It is urgent." Itachi did his best to speak in a professional tone that would not draw attention or suspicion to his dear kin.

"Don't you have somewhere better to be?" His head did not move but his eyes glanced up. Sasuke grew tired of his brother's fame over him and of being overlooked and ignored by the niisama he once adored. Now he just wanted to forget that he was a part of that family, a part of that clan, and live his life in solitude.

"Hold your tongue until later brother, I have important things to discuss with you. Now come." Itachi made the mistake of grabbed Sasuke by his shoulder to try and get them out of the public eye sooner, only making his little brother retaliate and knock his arm away.

"Do not touch me." His otouto's voice was ragged. His eyes stared down and to the left as if he was staring at something important, but there was nothing there but the street.

"Don't make a scene Sasuke, now come with me." This time Itachi made a more forceful grab for Sasuke's wrist but found himself grabbing his brother's other wrist as a kunai was quickly grabbed and was making its way for his abdomen. Did his little otouto really just…..try and stab him?

"Leave me alone." The younger brother's voice was deadpan as he continued to stare down, a few passing villagers noticed what had happened and were watching to see how the officer would comply. Itachi was forced to take matters into his own hands. He could not be seen showing favoritism towards anyone, even if it were his own flesh and blood. If this had been any other person, they would be on death's door or handcuffed by now. The officer looked away as his hands began to slowly twist Sasuke's wrists until he heard them snap.

A chill went through every part of the elder Uchiha's body as he heard his little brother's screams of agony and nearby women squeal in shock and horror. Sasuke was now on the ground, his broken wrists still in his older brother's hands. The punishment had been made publically, as was the humiliation. It was over. Itachi leaned down to pick his little brother up and held him over his shoulder as he dashed away, the kunai and a few raven tears left on the ground.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Sasuke's body shook in pain and torment as he sat on his brother's bed, Itachi holding his right hand tenderly as he wrapped it. The injury could take weeks to heal, and even then who knows what it might do to hamper his use of the hand and his fighting abilities. The elder brother hated himself for having done this to him, but what choice did he have? He was not only an ANBU captain but a police officer as well, his position and the recognition it brought him forced him to cause such pain to his beloved otouto. While Itachi was filled with grief and remorse, Sasuke was filled with hatred and anger. This was the man that he had grown up wanting to be like, this was the man who made him all of those empty promises, this was the man who made his life a living hell by being so much better than him!

Along with that anger and hatred, Sasuke felt something else. Sadness and devastation. Did this mean that his aniki hated him now? The voices had not given him peace since earlier that day, whispering things to him. Now they told him a secret that said that Itachi hated him and was going to hurt him further, to humiliate and embarrass him more than he already had in his short life. Though the core of Sasuke did not want to believe it, his brother's recent actions seemed to only make those hissing voices that much more truthful. What else had they told him that was true as well? That he was worthless? That he was better off dead? That he was a disgrace? That his family and his aniki were ashamed of him? That he was a mistake? That his neck should have been snapped as a newborn? These terrible thoughts plagued his mind as his older brother held him in place as he silently wrapped the bandages around the broken bones of his wrist.

Itachi tried to concentrate on the work before him, but his mind kept wandering into a dark place that wondered how his otouto became this way? This could not possibly be the sweet little child that would run up to him everytime he was about to leave and hold his legs, begging him not to go. It could not be the same innocent kid who would try to make himself stay up late just to see his aniki come home. It couldn't be him. What evil force had kidnapped his otouto and replaced him with this unpleasant copy?

"Sasuke. I've heard reports that you've stolen yourself a goat, is that true?" His voice remained calm and unaggressive as his hand held the cloth that he wrapped around the skinny pale arm. Of course the teenager did not answer. Itachi sighed inwardly as he wondered if it were true, and if it were, then what if Sasuke was also responsible for the other animal disappearances? And his behavior lately, his late night walks, his absentmindedness, his willingness to draw a weapon on him! What if his little brother was capable of more than just thievery? Was he capable of murder?


	7. Chapter 7

[My profuse apologies for the lack of updates. I fell out of love with writing, but have recently begun to browse again and decided to reread some of my work and realized that it is rather unfair of me to leave ya'll hanging.]

Sasuke retreated into the comfort of his own room once Itachi finished with the wraps. He locked the door behind him and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes and gripping the sides of his head with bandaged wrists as the voices began to taunt him again, scratching against the inside of his skull. '_He broke you, you're useless now. Those bones will never heal correctly. You're a pathetic excuse for an Uchiha now. You're not even good enough to grind into dog food.' _"Shut up!" he murmered to himself, wincing in pain at how loud they had become. _'He hates you, ya know. Would your Itachi ever cause you such harm? You're not his brother any longer. You're weak. You're feeble. He can't stand you.' _Sasuke fought back a tear as he began to slam his wrists against his head to try and make them go away. The physical pain was excrutiating but the emotional pain proved to be much more dire. He began to feel like the walls of his room were closing in on him, the air feeling hot and tainted. He needed to escape. He stumbled over his own feet as he wrestled with the door, leaping out into the crisp night air the moment that he could fit through the space. He didn't know where he was going or how far he would wander, he just needed to get away from this horrible place.

Itachi sat in the family kitchen, an empty cup in his hand and a bottle of rice wine on the table. He rarely drank. The elder Uchiha brother had killed hundreds of people, faced horrible foes, and had survived whatever the ANBU threw at him. But the events of the evening had taken their toll. He needed to take the edge off. Footsteps entered the room as his parents arrived home from their evening on the town. 'Itachi, you're not on patrol. Do you have a good reason for this?' Fugaku growled, standing behind his eldest son with his arms crossed. After a moment of silence and another cup poured and sipped on from the bottle of Sake, Itachi gulped down the drink and sighed before responding. "I dealt with Sasuke for you. He won't be causing any more trouble for a while." "What do you mean 'dealt with'? You just talked to him right?" Mikoto demanded to know, her happiness from being able to spend a rare night with her husband turned into worry and anxiety for her baby. "I...I broke both of his wrists. In public. No one will question the police force and their strict 'No Favortism' rules. I do hope you're happy father." Mikoto shrieked and ran toward her youngest son's room, leaving her husband to give a growl of approval to the prodigy child.

A scream from the family matron brought the men to their feet before they dashed to the source of her cries. "SASUKE!? SASUKE!" She screamed and cried as she called out into the darkness of the night, a trail of blood leading from his room out of his door, disappearing into the night with him. Itachi was gone in a blink, jumping from Uchiha rooftop to rooftop, following the chakra trails his otouto left behind. Fugaku simply held his wife up as her knees tried to buckle beneath her, guiding her back into the house before she attracted the attention of others.

Sasuke bounded from tree to tree, hoping that if he ran fast enough that the voices would turn into whispers and fade away. He was wrong. '_Worthless dog' ' No wonder your father doesn't like you' 'I bet he wishes you were never born, you're such an embarrassment Sasuke.' 'They'd be happier if you were dead' 'Hahahahaaaa!.' _He coudln't take it anymore. He purposefully launched himself from a tree limb, aiming straight for the sturdy trunk of another tree, crashing into it. His shoulder took the brunt of the hit, his body ricocheted off like a rag doll against the massive tree, sending him spiraling down to the ground. He rest his wounded wrist on his acheing shoulder and stood shakily to his feet, his eyes narrowing down to another nearby trunk. He ran full speed, throwing himself into the ancient member of the forest of Kohona. The voices just continued to taunt and laugh at him. He stumbled to his feet and took off, running as fast as he could through the outskirts of the city.

X.x.x. .x.x.x.x.X

Itachi crouched on the ledge of an inn rooftop, the sun peeking over the edge of the horizon. He hadn't been able to find his now missing brother throughout the night. He found a disturbed area of the forest where trees were splintered off and traces of blood clung to their bark, but that was where the trail ended. His heart raced at the horrible thoughts that came to his mind. What if Sasuke had harmed himself or someone else? What if he had left Kohona? What if some villain saw him in his vulnerable state and took advantage of him? He was just a boy...and he was his older brother. His icon. His protector. His nii-sama. He had hurt him and had failed him. How he wished he could go back in time and had never buckled under the pressure of his duties and hurt his little brother. A movement to his right brought him out of his thoughts, his weary eyes glancing over to a female officer. "Uchiha Itachi, there's been another murder on the north end. Your presence is requested."

With a grimace he followed the officer to the crime scene. Another young girl. Violated with a foreign object and sliced up like a bad dissection class. Her achilles were sliced through, her endtrails gutted and wrapped around her neck several times over. She died a slow and painful demise. Her mother stood by wailing uncontrollably. Itachi stared at the body of the little girl and, in a strange way, he felt relieved.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Sasuke awoke in a world of pain. His wrists were swollen and pulsated in pain, as did the rest of his body. He had given himself quite the beating. He rolled onto his back and looked up into the sky. For a sweet moment, he was able to find peace. The only sounds to be heard was the churning of the river and the breeze that swept across his skin, giving him a nice chill as it hit the dew that he was covered in. He wasn't pressured by his parents. He wasn't caught in the shadow of his brother. He wasn't being held to unfairly high expectations. He wasn't being teased. He wasn't being yelled at. He wasn't being judged. He was alone. Sweet solitude.


	8. Chapter 8

Sasuke laid in the tall grass, the shadow of a nearby tree protecting him from the heat. The hours felt like minutes as he watched clouds pass by him in the pure sky above Kohona. His wrists continued to swell beneath the tattered wrappings, his heartbeat clearly pounding through them. _Thum-ump. Thum-ump. Thum-ump_. It was nature's sweet lullaby to the crippled Uchiha. If only he could stay here forever. To stay and watch the clouds pass, the rain fall, the leaves of this tree change color with the seasons. To see the rivers dry up, to see the end of man, to see the earth take back what was hers. Unfortunately for the raven-haired boy, he would reunite with the dust long before he could see such imminent wonders, especially if he stayed here with no food or water to satiate his bodily needs. The dew had long ago dried up and tears of sweat poured over Sasuke's forehead as morning drew to a close and the afternoon was well underway. The serenity of the peace and quiet had been vanquished when the villagers stirred to begin their festivities. The combined noises of music, human chatter, singing, laughing, and animals yipping broke the trance that the young Uchiha had let himself fall into. But there was one noise in particular that made his eyes snap open and his body to flip over faster than the beat of a heart.

"So, this is where you've been." A familiar voice spoke softly from behind a red and white fox mask within the limbs of the tree. Itachi had detached himself from the crime scene as quickly as he could manage and commenced scouring Kohona high and low for his otouto. "What do you want? You've already broken my bones and my spirit, just go ahead and snap my ankles like twigs and go on your way." Sasuke spat as he rolled back onto his back and rested his hands on his chest. He closed his eyes and wished Itachi to go away, he had enough annoying voices telling him what to do without having _his_ joining the fray. "Besides, shouldn't you be off on some all-important mission or doing something of great im- _ooph_!" He was cut off by the sensation of the ground abandoning him as Itachi scooped him up and threw him across his shoulders, both arms extended back to hook around the teens body and hold him in place. "My mission for now is to get you home and treat your wrists again, left up to your own devices it seems you're hell-bent on making sure you never use them again." Itachi flexed his knees to crouch before leaping into the air, achieving quite the height despite the extra weight.

"Although, if you keep pulling stunts like this I might have to consider methods of incapacitating your feet as well."

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

The elder brother focused on his work as he held Sasuke's wrists in a tub of ice and water. He sensed the hateful glare that his little brother was giving him. "You brought this upon yourself, Sasuke." He held one of the young teen's in his palm as he removed it from the icy basin. He took a handtowel and began to pat the limb dry before dipping his fingertips in a mortar of a paste he made from a specialized blend of medicinal herbs and roots and dabbing the concoction onto the pale skin of the younger Uchiha. The mixture took the bite out of the stinging pain, plus it didn't smell all that horribly either. "I didn't break my wrists, if I do recall YOU did that to me, _aniki." _Before he could even close his mouth he hissed in pain as Itachi 'accidentally' applied a touch of pressure with his fingertips to the swollen joint. "You stole someone else's property and were caught by an eye witness. You are from a prestigious and unbelievably vain bloodline that has zero tolerance for public humiliation of their name. If it had been anyone else you would either be sitting in a cell or facing some sort of other horrid punishment. " "For some reason I doubt that mutilating criminals as a form of punishment is still practiced in the modern justice system." Sasuke grumbled as he looked away and closed his eyes. The whispers had returned and brought a headache with them. Suddenly daylight became a nuisance and he could feel his heart beating in his head rather than his wrists.

"Sometimes I wish that all we did to criminals in this village was mere mutilation, otouto. Are you alright?" His voice dropped the monotone façade and was overcome by genuine concern as Sasuke squinted his eyes and ripped his remaining limb out of the cold water to place on his own head. "Just leave me be for a while. I can finish this up." The younger boy growled as he put his hand back in the water and tried to block out the nagging voices. _'He's happy he could cripple you like this, make you useless.' ' Your wrists will never heal right, just kill yourself now and be done with it.' 'You live in a village protected by murderers, they will slaughter you in your sleep.' _Itachi grabbed Sasuke's arm to continue the treatment before he wiped it off, determined to not let Sasuke think that he could behave this way and order him around.

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" The younger boy screamed as he jerked his arm away from his brother and tried to stand to leave while holding his aching head. "What in the gods is wrong with you?!" Itachi stood in a flash and grabbed his younger brother in a tight hold before he could stumble over his own feet. The teen struggled for a moment, trying to wrestle his way out of his brother's vice grip, screaming to be released. Itachi had never seen his brother or anyone not threatened with their own demise become hysterical like this before. "Sasuke! Calm down! I don't know what is wrong with you lately but please just calm yourself before I'm forced to do something we'll both regret." Sasuke gritted his teeth as tears began to fall. He had barely heard a word that his brother said. Instead his ears were full of those horrible, unearthly voices painting him a verbal picture of his own gruesome demise. "Make it s-stop" He sobbed pitifully, his body going limp as he couldn't fight them anymore. "Sasuke…." Itachi kneeled down, taking Sasuke's trembling and limp body with him, still embracing him tightly but gently. "Please…make it stop….make it stop….it hurts…" he whispered, his eyes tightly closed.

"I don't know what's wrong with you otouto, but I promise I won't let anything happen to you." Itachi vowed as he held his little brother in the same position until his violent trembling came to a stop.

X.x.x.x.x.x.x.X

Itachi was slightly puzzled by his brother's scene. The way he had reacted you'd think he was trying to skin him alive. The elder brother let out a sigh as he sat beside his brother's sleeping form, tucked into his bed for more comfort. He had finished the treatments on his brothers wrists and began to burn some purification incense in the room after Sasuke had passed out. There was something severely wrong with his otouto, and he was determined to find out just what before something happened and Sasuke became a target. It was bad enough that some of the police force were spreading whispers about the murders, throwing his brother's name around in relation to his strange behavior lately. Yes Sasuke was caught stealing but that was hardly justification to make him a suspect for murder. Besides, unless his little brother had become proficient in wielding a knife in his mouth or with his toes, there wasn't really a likelihood that he was responsible for the death of those girls. But all too often, finding the culprit and finding a scapegoat proved to be equal goals of the Kohona Police Department, especially when it meant keeping the Hokage and villagers happy and at ease.

He looked over his shoulder at his little brother who was snoring lightly, curled up in his blankets like the child he was. Itachi would have to take him far away from the other villagers for awhile, just long enough to figure out not only who was really behind the killings but also what exactly was going on with his dear little brother.


	9. Chapter 9

"_They're coming for you, Sasuke. The wolves are in your courtyard, at your door, in your room. Do you see them Sasuke? Do you see their eyes glowing in the darkness? Do you hear them licking their lips in anticipation of your blood? Do you feel their bloodlust? They're coming...and there's nothing you can do about it. Run Sasuke...run before the wolves take you away." _

Dark eyes shot open as the dream frightened the youngest Uchiha awake, he swore he could hear the gnarling of wild animals in the room with him. His body was bathed in a cold sweat, soaking his clothing and his onyx hair. His wrists throbbed in pain, a vicious reminder of the act of 'justice' doled out to him by his own blood. Using his natural dexterity he pulled himself up into a kneeling position on his messy bed mat, his breathing heavy and ragged. Sasuke wiped off his forehead with the bandages on the back of his left limb and looked up at the crescent moon through a small window on his bedroom wall. The voices were right. Why hadn't he heeded their warnings before all of this? He should have thrown himself off of a wall or made a run for the forest the moment he heard the first hiss in his ear. The wolves were here, alright. The mongrels were all around him, waiting for his moment of weakness, taking advantage of his trust, stealing away his sanity. These wolves wore human skins and went by human names, Mother, Father,...even Brother. He wouldn't let them have him so easily. He'd be damned if he would be blind to their true intentions.

Standing to his feet, Sasuke stepped silently to the door. He'd use the darkness to his advantage, he'd use his name, his blood, and even his honor to escape this cage called Kohona. His bare feet touched the cold wooden planks of the outer ring of the house, followed by chakra-infused steps across the waters of the decorative pond behind their house. The large koi fish swam around his feet, only causing minor ripples and not giving away his position to anyone within earshot. They must be repaying his years of kindness towards them by befriending him in such a manner.

X.x.x.x.X

"Let's go feed the fish Sasuke!" a happy Mikoto offered as she handed her youngest child a bag of specially formulated fish pellets. "Yes ma'am." her respectful little raven answered, happy to spend quality time with his dear mother. He ran out ahead of her, his bony little pale legs sticking out of tan shorts, the proud symbol of the clan embedded in the shirt on his back. "They're hungry today oka-san!" he said cheerfully as his smaller hands flung out the pellets to the hungry gold-colored fish. The creatures splashed and jumped at the opportunity to eat ravenously, making the younger child giggle when stray droplets of water hit him. "They're always hungry Sasuke. Look how big they're getting!" she exclaimed as she joined him on the wooden dock. "They were so small when we put them in..will they keep growing until they're bigger than the house?" he asked with child-like curiosity, looking up at his adoring mother. "No no Sasuke, they will only grow to the size of their home, they would have stayed small if we kept them in those little bags they came in." she said with a smile, taking a small handful of feed to toss into the water herself. The black-haired little boy looked back out at the chaotic water and stared at the dance of bright colors that swirled before him. Poor fishies.

The next day brought torrential rain and lightning over the village hidden in the leaves. The schools were closed, the citizens were safe indoors, but the animals were left outside to endure the natural phenomenon. Some would pity the animals, but maybe a day without the molestation by humans was worth getting a little wet. The door to the Uchiha kitchen slid open to reveal a young man, home fresh from debriefing of an A-class mission. The rain not only brought nourishment to the plants but brought a ninja home from his mission earlier than others had predicted. "Itachi! You're soaking wet..go change and I'll have hot tea waiting for you." his mother scolded in a caring voice as her eldest child removed his muddy shoes. "Yes, Mother." he bowed slightly before making his way around the house. This midday storm would provide him with a rare opportunity to do what he wanted, which included both sleep and checking up on his little shadow. He'd been gone for several days and was ready for a well-deserved tackle and barrage of questions he couldn't answer from his favorite sibling. But none came. He made it all the way from his room, throughout changing his clothing to something dry, and back to the kitchen without a sight or sound from his brother. "Oka-san, where is Sasuke?" he asked as his mother poured steaming water into a dark cup with a green teabag resting against the side. "He's around here somewhere, we weren't expecting you back until at least tomorrow." she said with the usual cheer in her voice. How a woman like that ended up with a grump like father would always puzzle the eldest child, although arranged marriages weren't unheard of in their vain clan.

Accepting the offering of the cup, Itachi took a sip and kept an ear out. No noise. No happy and playful screeching, no footsteps, no doors opening and closing. There was nothing in the home except the rhythmic sound of the rain hitting the roof, bringing the calming nature of his home to a new level. Setting the nearly empty glass down he stopped his mother from pouring him another before he wordlessly stood and left the room, walking slowly. Something was amiss in the Uchiha household. Lightning flashed, brightening the world for a fraction of time, followed by the rumble of the ground and the deafening sound of the crack of a whip against the earth. The young man slowly walked around his home to the door that guarded the room that his brother called his own. "Sasuke?" he asked the thin sheet of wood and paper, the rain pouring heavily behind him. No response. "Sasuke?" he said again, a little louder incase the low growl of the rain had drowned him out. No answer. He barely slid the door open, peaking inside to find an empty room. Just as he thought, no Sasuke. If he wasn't in the kitchen with mother and he wasn't in his room, then where could he possibly be? Had he run off and found refuge at a friends house to protect him from the dangers of childhood boredom? Had he found a quiet, although unconventional, place in the house to sleep through the storm? Or, and gods forbid it be so, had he gone out to 'train' in the forest in an attempt to appear strong or tough? His otouto was foolish like that.

The youngest ANBU officer stepped around the corner to the house, ready to begin a full-force search for his vulnerable little brother when his deep thoughts vanished and his eyes widened. "Sasuke!" he yelled out, running into the rain towards the pathetic figure on the dock. His brother stood out at the end of the dock, looking out onto the waters as the rain pelted the surface, creating a never-ending ripple. "Sasuke what are you doing out here?!" he demanded, jumping to his brothers side and grabbing him by the shoulders, lifting him off of his feet and carrying him quickly back into the house, his clean, dry clothes now a thing of the past. Reaching the safety of the porch he set the completely drenched child down in front of him, a grip still on him as he gave the child a shake. "What were you thinking?!" he asked, his voice never raising but the tone still dangerously serious. "The fish aniki, they're still hungry too.." he said, pointing out at the waters, the empty bag for fish pellets still crumpled up in his hand. "You don't go out into the rain to feed fish Sasuke, it's not safe." Itachi sighed, he had hoped that the child had better reasons than something so petty to risk his health and safety.

"I'm sorry niisama." he said quietly with his eyes downcast, hearing the disappointment in his brother's voice. "I just felt sorry for them, they're sad and I wanted to make them happy." he said with those big eyes, tears threatening to fall in shame that his big brother was disappointed in him. "Why are the fish sad?" he asked, he always found the wisdom of his little brother more enlightening than that of some village officials. "Because they're trapped aniki. I'd be sad if I were stuck in a cage...They're trapped forever...and I thought that maybe if I fed them, they'd be a little happier….they're always hungry." he said, staring down at his small feet. Itachi let out a sigh, he couldn't be mad at his little brother. "Let's get you dried off before you get sick." he said as he picked the saddened little Uchiha up and carried him towards the bathing quarters where towels were abundant, disregarding the moisture soaking through his own shirt.

X.x.x.x.x.x.X

Sasuke reached the opposite side of the small pond, the gargantuan wall was all that stood between him and the freedom of the forest. He scaled the wall and looked back at the village he had called home his entire life, the village he and his brother swore loyalty to. He wouldn't let them have him, he wouldn't let them devour him alive and drink his warm blood. Stepping over the edge of the wall the teen prepared to land in the treetops, slipping by the wall security altogether and escaping into the night. With that, a young koi fish escaped the pond, denying it's fate to grow only as large as Kohona would allow him for their own amusement.

(My apologies for the wait, been busy and distracted. The more reviews I receive the faster I will update, hope ya'll enjoyed.)


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